The House Homeland Security Committee is likely to approve legislation (H.R. 1680) today, April 17, that would for the first time create federal regulations for handling ammonium nitrate, which has been used by terrorists to make bombs.  Ammonium nitrate is used mostly by growers of specialty crops, such as citrus, and for pasturelands.

H.R. 1680 would direct the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to regulate the sale and purchase of the chemical compound, which is used widely as an agricultural fertilizer.  Under the bill, the secretary would have to require the registration of all owners of ammonium nitrate facilities.  The bill would also create a registry in which anyone who purchases ammonium nitrate would have to enroll.  The secretary could issue fines of up to $50,000 if owners sold the chemical without registering with DHS.

The legislation also requires ammonium nitrate facility owners to maintain a record of all sales transactions for three years after the sales.  It would not pre-empt state ammonium nitrate laws unless they are not as strong as the federal law.  Helicopter Association International (HAI) has learned that Florida Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite is likely to introduce an amendment to the bill that would shorten from three years to two years, the time facility owners would need to maintain sales records.

Domestic terrorists and those from other countries have a history of using the chemical to build bombs.  A U.S. House of Representatives vote on the measure could come later this month.  The committee approved a similar bill in June of 2006, but it never reached the House floor for a vote.